SHEEPSKINS in 



the conditions under which the sheep lived, and by the 

 precise breed of animal from which the skin has been taken. 

 As in the case of hides (Part I., Section I., p. 8), animals 

 exposed to extremes of weather develop the best pelts, 

 whereas those sheep which have been carefully bred and 

 reared for the sake of their wool yield a thin and poor 

 class of pelt. In Britain, and more especially in England, 

 are reared the finest and most valuable sheep. This is 

 evident from the prices paid for them by foreigners and 

 colonial breeders when seeking new blood for their flocks 

 and fresh stock for their lands. As much as 1000 guineas 

 have been paid by an Argentine firm for a single Lincoln 

 ram. 



Long wools are obtained from some of the best and most 

 extensively bred animals. The " Cotswolds " are the largest, 

 and probably the original breed of England are still found 

 on the Cotswold Hills. They have long wool, white fleeces, 

 white faces, and white legs, and have no horns. The wool 

 is fine, but the pelts are particularly greasy, especially along 

 the back. A later breed originating in the Midlands was 

 called the " Leicester " long wool. This breed gives a great 

 cut of wool and much coarse mutton. It is very extensively 

 distributed in the North of England and has been much 

 crossed, so that many sub-breeds are now well known, e.g. 

 the "Border Leicester " the general utility sheep of 

 Scotland and the "Yorkshire Leicester" or " Mashams," 

 much bred in Wensleydale. " Lincolns " are another long 

 wool found only on the Lincolnshire Wolds. They also 

 have white faces and shanks and yield a large pelt with fine 

 ^rain. They give a ^ig crop of wool. " Devons " are a 

 smaller breed common in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. 

 They yield a fairly long wool of great strength, but not quite 

 white. Romney Marsh sheep (" Kents ") are also long 

 wools. They have white legs, white faces, a tuft of wool 

 on the head, and no horns. The pelt is large and good. 

 " Rosconu nous arc an Irish cross breed with much Leicester 

 blood. Tlu-} yield a long wool and a spready pelt. 



Short wools are typified by the " Down " sheep. These 



